Washington, D.C. – In response to last night’s U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) that took effect today at 8 a.m. (PDT) and blocks the federal government from withdrawing funding for, among other services, legal representation for unaccompanied children, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) President Wendy Young issued the following statement:
“This TRO is a welcome development that we hope signals restoration of vital federally funded legal representation for unaccompanied children. The administration’s recent decision to deprive 26,000 unaccompanied children of access to attorneys puts these kids at even greater risk of human trafficking, exploitation, and other dangers. It makes it all but impossible for many unaccompanied children to appear for their immigration court hearings or otherwise remain in touch with immigration agencies, severing critical lines of communication between children in harm’s way and the institutions in place to protect them. As this litigation plays out, we urge the administration to reconsider its initial decision and fully restore federal funds for this critical work now and in the future.”
As is typical for a TRO, the order granted last evening will be in effect for 14 days, expiring at 8 a.m. on April 16, 2025, unless the court extends it.
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Media Contact: Megan McKenna, mmckenna@supportkind.org, 202-631-9990